MPAG Summary ~ Auditorium (8787 Georgia Ave) October 14, 2008

Agenda
1. Meeting Began
2. Schedule
3. MTA DEIS
4. Pros and Cons
5. Upcoming Meetings

Master Plan Advisory Group (MPAG) Members: Pat Baptiste, Caleb Kriesberg, Rob
Rosenberg, Veda Charrow, Tony Hausner, Jonathan Jay, Karen Roper, Harry Sanders, Michele
Cornwell (Alt. - Ed Asher), Mier Wolf, Joe Rodriguez, Peter Gray, Byrne Kelly, Anne Martin,
Ted Power, Judy Tso, Bill Mellema, Michael Marsh, Karen FitzGerald, Chris Richardson, and
Todd Solomon

Absent Members: Andy O’Hare, Sue Knapp, David Saltzman, Gigi Godwin, Fred Schultz, Lisa
Fadden, Phil Alperson, and Laurie Kelly

Others: Katherine Holt (Staff), Tom Autrey (Staff), Heather Dlhopolsky, Ginnane Italiano,
Webb Smedley, Tina Slater, and Jon Elkind

1. Meeting Began
Tom Autrey began the meeting at 7:05 pm.

2. Schedule
Katherine explained the revised schedule to the MPAG, which was posted on a wall in the
auditorium. The schedule was revised per Pat Baptiste comment from the last meeting asking
for staff to show when the Planning Board and the County Council are on recess. The
schedule also reflects staff changes to the schedule, which moved the first staff draft memo
from November 14 to November 21. The current schedule can be seen by clicking here.

3. MTA DEIS
Katherine reminded the MPAG that CD copies of the DEIS will be available for MPAG
members only on October 21, 2008. Please come to the Park and Planning office to pick up
your copy of the DEIS on CD. Katherine may send out an email to everyone informing them
that the CDs are available on Friday.

The DEIS will be available on October 17. Anyone can request a copy of the DEIS CD on
October 17, 2008 through the following email address: purpleline@mtamaryland.com. You
may view the DEIS online at MTA’s website. MTA will provide hard copies of the document
and the technical reports for public viewing at Montgomery and Prince George’s County
MNCPPC, the Silver Spring Regional Services Center, MDOT’s regional office in New

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MPAG Summary ~ Auditorium (8787 Georgia Ave) October 14, 2008

Carrollton, and MTA in Baltimore. These are the only places that the hard copies of the tech
reports will be available.

The public may purchase a hard copy of the AA/DEIS for $123 from MTA.

4. Pros and Cons

Tom prepared a different summary (two page paper) of the likes and dislikes of each
alignment from the September 2008 meetings. The final decision on the prepared summary
was that it would be thrown out. The following is a summary of the discussions that took
place on this topic at the meeting.

What were the criteria used for the likes and dislikes?
The objective was to provide public officials with a concise summary document.

What is the number of pages for a typical memo to the Planning Board?
The number of pages to the Planning Board varies for each topic. The goal was to have a
concise summary to point out key items in the memo with the longer version in the appendix
or as an attachment. The memo to the Planning Board will also include staff’s analysis on the
AA/DEIS. It is apparent from the overall response from the MPAG including a summary in
the memo is not the way to go.

It was suggested that staff either go around the room with a time limit to allow each person
to speak and make comments on the summary or that this should be handled through email.

We can do that (see discussion below). With respect to the Pros and Cons, it was decided that
(1) no attempt would be made to develop a summary, and (2) the lists of Pros and Cons
would be made for the MPAG and the general public.

The following are comments given by MPAG members and audience members on what they
think are some of the most important things to take into consideration when reviewing the
alternatives and other aspects of the project.

Veda: 1. The alignment decision at the Bethesda end must take into account future growth and
future traffic (e.g., from BRAC); this is why a decision based on a 20-year-old Master Plan at
this end of the route is not adequate.

2. Both BRT and LRT have been accomplished elsewhere on streets no wider than Jones
Bridge Road. Rather than saying the road must be widened, I'd like to know what it would
take to make some sort of rapid transit work on JBR. (Narrower buses? Or a middle lane that
switches directions similar to Colesville Road?)

3. Damage to the environment includes not only air pollution, but also destruction of old-
growth tree canopy and runoff. The cost of the environmental damage the Georgetown
Branch of the CCR needs to be included in any cost-benefit analysis.

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4. How can quality of life issues be quantified and compared--e.g., essentially destroying a
longitudinal park with a trail to provide a rail with trail, and within an established residential
neighborhood?

Mier: He feels that the Jones Bridge Road alignment has basically been dismissed by MTA in
part because it was an option surfaced by a member of the House of Delegates and not their
staff. MTA has ignored "ground truth" by failing to take into account the coming of BRAC
as well as the environmental disaster to the Capital Crescent Trail that will occur if they
implement a light rail plan they obviously favor for the Purple Line. Fair consideration of
the Jones Bridge Road alternative would include the following:

1. "Connectivity" of the trail is inaccurate, since the connection would be of hard surface
treeless paths instead of the tree lined linear park we currently enjoy on the Capital Crescent
Trail.

2. The trail could be completed in its current linear park form under the Jones Bridge Road
scenario.

3. The Jones Bridge alignment is the only route to possibly connect to northern Woodmont
which is beyond the walking distance for the current metro connections.

4. On Jones Bridge Road it should be possible to have a dedicated lane that changes based
on rush hour demands east of Connecticut Avenue without significant impact to the
residential area.

5. It would be safer including for North Chevy Chase Elementary School to have a bus rapid
transit go down the middle of Jones Bridge Road, with the advent of BRAC, then exposing
that road to more auto traffic.

6. The MTA has not accurately calculated the speed of the bus rapid transit on Jones Bridge
Road, in part because of how they treat the Silver Spring portion of the Purple Line for that
route.

Byrne: The advice of this member of the MPAG for the Planning Board and the County Council
is:
1. Go through the motions to get the DEIS approved to get on the New Starts Federal
Funding Program.

2. Then revisit the myriad of opinions and suggestions of the MPAG Diaspora of
"interested" parties.

3. When reviewing all of that, one can find some majority consensus, some super majority
consensus, but probably not 100% consensus.

From my perspective there is at the least a super majority consensus of the following:

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A mass transit "Purple Line" running in an east west arc connecting several major Metro
Rail lines, business districts, the UMD and two community colleges, is desired by a
majority of the members.
If money were no object, then the line would be an underground light rail, wherever it is
objectionable above ground.

For the following, I believe there is a simple majority consensus:

LRT is more desirable than BRT
A single track scenario on the Capital Crescent Trail is a more desirable than a double
track, but less popular than tunneling it under that segment.
Aerial or underground from the proposed Silver Spring Transit Center through the Silver
Spring CBD with a stop at either Georgia or Fenton Avenues is more popular than at
grade or the proposed southerly bypass tunnel MPAG was presented late in the game.

The following is my opinion that may be shared by some, but most are skeptical at this point to
these suggestions.
Recognizing that obtaining the Federal and State monies to build a Purple Line are the
first priority, and essential, once that is completed we, as a County and as individual
communities, should seek to fund a higher more satisfactory degree of design and the
means to fund it.
By design this could work, by process only, it could fail.

Tony: First, if we can between now and say the next week produce a document that contains all
of our comments, that would be very useful. This document would hopefully reflect all of the
comments made within each group, but somehow roll all comments into one document. I
think there appears to be agreement that not all comments are currently there, but hopefully
we can get there. I further think that there is no reason why we can't make additional
comments, even if they were not made at the time of the group meetings. We took several
iterations to get in all our comments on the outreach report. Given that this document has
greater significance, I think allowing for additional input is appropriate.

1. Safety
how does LRT compare to BRT, TSM and no build on safety?
A pro on this would be LRT is better on this.
A con on this would be that LRT is poorer on this.

2. Noise
how does LRT compare on noise levels to BRT, TSM and no build?
A pro on this would be LRT is better on this.
A con on this would be that LRT is poorer on this.
3. How does LRT compare to BRT, etc on providing transportation for low income
residents?
A pro on this would be LRT is better on this
A con on this would be that LRT is poorer on this

4. Redevelopment can be both positive and negative for low income residents, too

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complicated for simple assessments, e.g., can improve their living situations but could also
drive them out. Is there any research literature on this?

5. Environment
how does LRT compare to BRT, TSM and no build on impacts on the environment as to air
pollution and energy consumption?
A pro on this would be LRT is better on this
A con on this would be that LRT is poorer on this

Jonathan:
1. Staff should closely review what could be extremely adverse impacts of the surface route
through downtown Silver Spring on traffic congestion – in particular, a 180-foot-long light
rail train slowly crossing Georgia Avenue and through the intersection of Wayne Avenue and
Fenton Street up to every three minutes during rush hour from one direction or another.

2. The community near Wayne Avenue in Silver Spring is very concerned since the plans
for the surface route on Wayne call for the widening of nearly two-thirds of the mile on
Wayne on which Purple Line light would run. This, combined with shared train and car
lanes (taking no traffic away), will result in increasing traffic capacity on Wayne and
eventually traffic.

3. Staff should closely examine very questionable daily station boardings that MTA has
projected. At the very least, the numbers for the eight Silver Spring stops, especially in
relation to each other, appear out of whack with housing, employment, and retail in the
respective areas.

4. More attention needs to be paid in evaluating BRT, since MTA has said little about BRT
at public meetings and in meetings with the MPAG and as a result little is known about the
details of the viability of BRT.

5. Added costs to build a proper mass transit system, and one that has minimal community
impact, should be fully considered, such as tunneling through downtown Silver Spring and
under Wayne Avenue.

Harry: The table should include travel times as a major category with reference to relative speed
of travel between important origin and destinations. For example, travel times from Silver
Spring to College Park campus are a long 50 minutes for the medium BRT option, which is
too long for choice riders. While the medium and high LRT are a competitive 30-34 minutes.

Reliability of service is also a factor for potential transit riders. People who take transit want
something that is reliable. The amount of mixing in traffic impacts transit reliability of travel
and should be part of the judgment of transit option.

The Federal Transit Administration analysis does not look at the whole range of benefits and
put too much emphasis on a cost to benefit number where all benefits are not included. I

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prefer light rail for the Purple Line because it encourages more compact development that is
needed in order to reduce car trips and car trip lengths in order to combat global warming.

Ted: As a two year resident, Jonathan Jay, Karen Roper, and others can best represent specific
issues/concerns of the Silver Spring residents. Traffic in the Silver Spring CBD is a concern.
I also believe that the County must look at issues of energy sources in the locally preferred
alignment for the Purple Line. At a global level, the impacts from diminishing fuel supply
and the resultant higher fuel costs must be factored into the selection of Purple Line mode of
transportation.

Pat: 1. When you start at the wrong place you will end up making a series of bad decisions. The
alignment is based on 3 miles of the Georgetown Branch which the county owns and first
wanted to use for single lane trolley between SS and Bethesda (3.5 of 5 miles of the route
would be county owned, the remaining 1.5 is CSX still not agreed to by them for passenger
rail use). Now it represents a very small part of the 17 mile double track Purple Line.

2. Many of the adverse impacts in East Silver Spring occur because the Purple Line needs to
get through Silver Spring to reach Bethesda and use the 3 miles the county owns on the
Georgetown Branch.

3. Were it not for an irrational desire to use the Georgetown Branch (irrational to all but the
Chevy Chase Land company which stands to gain millions in new development rights) all of
the goals of the Purple Line (connectivity, mobility, traffic reduction etc) could be
accomplished better by creating a route that went north and then east such as the purple line
loop proposed several years ago. Alternatively connecting Long Branch,
Wheaton/Kensington, Grosvenor and White Flint would yield far more benefits to the county
than would be going over to Bethesda.

4. A route that dead ends in Bethesda will never be able to expand service to the western
part of the county.

5. Since 14 miles of the proposed Purple Line does not have a dedicated r-o-w, the state
should be open to designing a route where it ought to be rather than where a small amount of
land is available.

Peter: There is enough room in the tunnel under Wisconsin for the trail and LRT. The only way
to maintain a continuous CCTrail between Bethesda and Silver Spring is to keep the trail
inside the tunnel. It is also crucial to the continuity of the CCTrail to avoid all at-grade street
crossings, especially entering into downtown Silver Spring, the Silver Spring Transit Center
and connecting to the Metropolitan Branch Trail.

Rob:
Clarification that there are three main alignments excluding TSM and No Build
How the different alignments support existing business and high density areas
The title of the section should just be East Silver Spring

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Impact on access to Thayer apartments: Thayer avenue parking and viability of those
apartment buildings, impact on affordable housing. Road access to the apartments.
Safety of tunnel entrances and crossing which happens to be right in front of a major
elementary school crossing
Largest number of properties taken and/or easements on SS/Thayer Ave. A misnomer
that was based on an easement that isn’t there.
No discussion of deep tunnel design issues/impacts. Examples include:
o Air quality, venting
o Rock blasting
o Fallout could be more significant as most of the homes in the area are small, turn
of the century homes
Taking of significant portion of park land including a portion which is currently receiving
significant investment by both the county and state.
Significant environmental impacts including crossing Sligo creek

Karen Roper: The following is a list of concerns I have with the SS/Thayer route:
Open portal on residential street next to elementary school
Loss of parking on Thayer
Proposed stop and Transit Station Sector Plan impact on minority affordable housing
Environmental justice issue - about one dozen minority, low income housing buildings
will lose parking, affordability and parkland
Impact on house values on Dale that now face a wooded park, but will be facing a
concrete bridge
Environmental impact of loss of trees - State of Maryland and County Parks Dept just
spent quite a bit of money rebuilding, planting over 50 trees, 30 bushes and adding a
stone drainage gully
Impact on Sligo Creek
Potential for crime where bike path goes under bridge
Impact on the playground next to the proposed bridge
Takings of private property to "straighten out" the curve on Thayer before Dale Dr.
Traffic impacts with train sharing lane with cars on Piney Branch which is only one lane
Traffic impacts at Dale and Thayer where train would cross
Impact on backed up traffic on feeder roads to Piney Branch, e.g. Sligo Creek Parkway,
Dale Ave, Sligo Ave
Noise during construction and train after on quiet residential street
Tunneling under houses at Silver Spring Ave and Grove without taking or moving the
residents. Has this been done successfully before? Where?
Cost of compensation for underground takings

Karen FitzGerald: I support what Jonathan Jay said about adverse impacts on the neighborhood
and downtown Silver Spring.

The closing of the entrance to the schools' parking lot to accommodate the Purple Line
station will dramatically affect the traffic flows at both schools, which serve more than 1,000
families. Closing the entrance to the parking lot will mean rerouting traffic onto side streets

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in the neighborhood surrounding the schools, and doing so will exacerbate tensions that
already exist between the schools and neighborhood residents around school-related traffic.
[As an aside, Valerie Ervin's office regularly calls the principal of the elementary school to
complain about traffic, because she gets calls from residents who complain to her about
traffic. Closing the entrance to the parking lot will reroute all of this car traffic onto these
side streets, and you can imagine how this will increase the number of complaints.]

A street level alignment along Wayne Avenue will reduce property values for homeowners
there, as well as corrode our quality of life. I want to know when the State and
County will honestly acknowledge the harm that will be done by this Purple Line
alignment, as well talk to us about how we will be made whole.

Chris: I simply wanted to remind everyone that the members of the Master Plan Advisory Group
were carefully selected from a wide geographic range that encompasses the Purple Line’s
serving area, each representing his/her community as local stakeholders. Individually and
collectively, this Advisory Group is among the most informed on the Purple Line and its
potential impacts – pro and con. I, therefore, advocated for keeping the entire pros and cons
summary intact and encouraging Park & Planning staff, who may not live in the affected
areas, to consult the collective knowledge within the local stakeholder community.

Bill: 1. Red line metro provides direct connectivity between Medical Center and Bethesda. The
Jones Bridge alignment, in part, would create a redundant transportation link between these
two points.

2. I personally do not believe that an alignment through Bethesda up Woodmont Ave in

traffic will be faster than using a dedicated ROW into downtown Bethesda.

3. Investment in electric powered light rail ensures flexibility of fuel sources with no cost
adder as new sources of energy come on-line.

BRT requires investment in only one or two fuel sources. Adaptation to new fuels would
require conversion at an unknown cost.

4. A purple line alignment down the CCT ensures improvements and funding for
maintenance of the trail and public spaces.

5. The lack of focus on alignments east of SS CDB is disconcerting. The MTA has a
responsibility to those folks as well.

Michele: Right-of-way is the most precious resource that transit planning has. The County
purchased the Georgetown Branch ROW over a decade ago specifically for the transit
connection between Bethesda and Silver Spring, and the route has been in the BCC Master
Plan, Bethesda CBD Sector Plan and the Georgetown Branch Master Plan Amendment for
over 20 years. County resources have already been invested in this opportunity to use
valuable existing freight railroad alignment to connect two Central Business Districts by
transit, and the businesses and residents have relied on the Plans and resources supporting

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this transit/trail connection. The focus of analysis should be on finding the optimal route in
the areas east of Silver Spring where there is no existing ROW for the connection. The mode
should be light rail, to provide the fastest connection along the entire route, and the highest
ridership numbers. We must not lose sight that the route will connect the growing Northern
Prince George’s County economic engine to Montgomery County’s business districts. It will
connect housing with jobs. It is about more than a 3 mile long trail.

Anne: 1. The Purple Line alignment as LRT along the Georgetown Branch right-of-way from
Bethesda to Silver Spring provides a direct transit and completed trail link between the
two downcounty central business/employment/housing resource areas and between two
heavily utilized Red Line Metro stations (which have bus station connections for those
coming from outside the transit station areas);

2. As an organization that participates in the lengthy, public, collaborative process of the

master plans, the B-CC Chamber has long supported the alignment for transit/trail on the
Georgetown Branch right-of-way that has been in the B-CC Master Plan, Bethesda CBD
Sector Plan and the Georgetown Branch Master Plan Amendment Plan for 20+ years and
purchased for such purpose;

3. As I mentioned in the meeting on Tuesday after Michele Cornwell discussed the value of
the existing right-of-way, "time" is another valuable resource for residents, employers and
employees. The Purple Line alignment as LRT provides the fastest travel times for existing
transit users and to encourage new riders to utilize transit, not only between Bethesda to
Silver Spring, but for faster, more efficient, and environmentally superior connections to the
Langley Park/Takoma transit center and to Metro stations and communities to the east in
Prince Georges County (including University of Maryland and the orange line of the Metro).

4. "Economic development"- the ability to improve the quality, value, and character of some
of our neighborhood centers and to improve the experience and reduce travel times for our
residents and employees using public transit - is a positive factor of the Purple Line. The
convenience of being near an attractive, safe, environmentally friendly LRT line
on nearby streets can be a positive factor and enhance property values and quality of life.

5. I will echo the comment the gentleman made that the overall Purple Line LRT provides a
valuable transit opportunity that should be evaluated as a whole and for the future- the
transportation, environmental, economic development, etc. benefits for the County and
region in the long term should not be lost in the dissection of segments along a planned right-
of-way like the Georgetown Branch. The focus of analysis should be finding the optimal
route in the areas east of the Silver Spring Transit Center where there is no existing right-of-
way or plans for the alignment.

Todd: The 'pro' comments from Long Branch under "traffic and parking" and under
"environment" apply equally well to Langley Park.

Under "environment" I would add that the most likely Takoma Langley Crossroads model
incorporates a Purple Line into a much greener scenario than current conditions.

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MPAG Summary ~ Auditorium (8787 Georgia Ave) October 14, 2008

I would add as a 'pro' under "connectivity" that the Purple Line will augment the utility of the
planned bus depot that consolidates the dozen-odd bus stops of the New Hampshire Ave /
University Blvd. intersection into a single safe location.

I would also add under "connectivity" that, given immigrant population predictions and the
Takoma Langley Crossroads project, Langley Park will very likely become a 3rd CBD in the
next 15 years. Connecting it directly and speedily to the existing down-county CBDs is
essential.

The Purple Line is likely to be noise neutral, given the existing noise level along Univ. Blvd.

Under "traffic and parking," the Purple Line will benefit from the current surplus of available
parking near the Takoma/Langley intersection. Even in the Takoma Langley Crossroads
development plans, parking plentifully provided.

Re: East Silver Spring/Wayne...

I would add under "connectivity" that a Dale Drive station would enhance transit access for
over a hundred faculty and staff to the 2 public schools (SCES, SSIMS) at Wayne and Dale.

Under "economy" I would add that homes in the East Silver Spring area currently advertise
their proximity to transit as a positive feature. To suggest that homes would decline in value
if a Purple Line came through is counter to the historical evidence of other areas served by
Metrorail.

Joe: The system seems to be two separate systems. From Bethesda to Silver Spring if it is to go
along the trail, it is fast and with few stations at strategic points. From Silver Spring East, the
system is at surface level with many stations and much slower. I believe that in the long term
in order for the system to be successful, speed is essential. Also for the future efficiency of
the system it must be Light Rail in order to use electric power and potentially use fuel more
efficiently and from different sources. Therefore, I would like the staff to look at the
possibility even if eventually the choice is not the most expensive light rail, to look at the
possibility of mixing up the choices between the High and Low end light rail east of Silver
Spring in order to provide, at least in Montgomery County, an efficient and faster moving
system. We do not have a mandate to study anything further into Prince Georges beyond the
County Line.

Caleb: My first response to the whole Group on the Pros and Cons chart shown at the meeting
is as follows:

I like Tony's comment: "redevelopment [sic] can be both positive and negative for low
income residents, too complicated for simple assessments, e.g., can improve their living
situations but could also drive them out. Is there any research literature on this?"

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I wish we could know whether an alignment in a particular neighborhood would lead to

gentrification or not.

Speaking of alignments, the chart doesn't compare proposed alignments in a

neighborhood. I think that's alright: the chart isn't intended to do that.
I don't agree with Tony that this chart really is or should be about pros and cons. I
mentioned that to Tom and Katherine by e-mail. Please note that the file itself, unlike the
subject of the e-mail it's attached to, is called not "pro's and con's" but "likes and
dislikes". "Likes and Dislikes" is a more appropriate description of the chart's content.
The chart is not trying to present arguments for or against a particular mode or alignment,
nor compare proposals to status quo, but, I think, picks out some of the Group's opinions
about the project that are particularly relevant to the Staff. . . .
I think I agree with e-mail comments by Ted and Tony that members of the Group,
possibly in part by e-mail, can add to this chart. I don't see that the chart is trying to
express consensus, nor does it indicate what proportion of the Group holds each opinion.
It shows what the staff is hearing thus far, and maybe the Staff can hear and include
more.

On the pros and cons, a few important editorial questions / comments. Most of these are
about sub-groups I wasn't a part of; their comments, perhaps as a consequence, seemed
especially unclear to me as a reader:

I think one problem with the table and processes is that “pro” and “con” are the wrong
words. The table is not necessarily arguing for or against a policy. The words might
better be "likes" "dislikes". The column is listing positives and negatives. Either column
could be BRT or LR. The introduction to the table should say so! The "con" side is not
necessarily in opposition to anything specific on the "pro" side.
"Bethesda": if this means Bethesda Metro Station (as opposed to Medical Center, which
is also in Bethesda), please say so.
Why is "Trail in Tunnel" both "pro" and "con"? Are we comparing here the status quo
tunnel with the low-ceilinged proposal? Please specify.
"Type of emissions" should probably include "Fuel sources for BRT vs. LR" These are
related but different issues.
"increase economics" seems meaningless to me (what does "economics" mean, here? I
don't think it can increase.)
"Falklands. . .are near alignments" -- I don't see why this is a "con"
"pedestrian safety" is not a "con"! "Hazards to pedestrians" would be
For me and many other residents LIBRARY STATION IS A "CON," NOT JUST A
"PRO"
The "500 Block of Thayer Station" could also be a "con" if it leads to gentrification ("loss
of affordable housing"), as is elsewhere in the comments. I think I'm the only one in the
Group who lives in an apartment, and I live on Thayer. My rent goes up a lot each year.
The new "moderate income" or "workforce housing" to be built in the area of my
neighborhood and near the PL alignments would, arguably, not be affordable to many
current residents. In the list, we can consolidate all the comments about Thayer
gentrification vs. development, along with the request for more information. It might

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also be possible to consolidate talk of gentrification for other neighborhoods, elsewhere

in the list.
Comments about "trees" could also be consolidated.
Why is "Dale Drive station" a "con"? Please specify.
Why is "Georgia Ave. Crossing" both a “pro” and a "con"?

I don't know if the two columns of the table are comparing alignments, or comparing transit
modes, and if the latter, whether it's comparing the status quo with the PL. In part, this could
be cleared up by almost always using complete sentences -- with subjects and verbs
("expensive" -- what is? "Not in traffic" -- what isn't?) -- and by assuming the reading
audience is people who have never heard of the PL. I realize this may seem unnecessary, but
it leads to clear writing.

The following MPAG members did not attend the meeting, but did email in their comments
to be included in the summary.

Laurie: I fully support the proposed Purple Line alignment along University Boulevard in any
mode since it will benefit the residents of Takoma Park and Langley Park. The multicultural
working poor here depend now, and will even more in the future, on public transportation in
its most efficient form. Whether light rail or express bus, residents need the Purple Line and
its associated transit center at the Takoma-Langley Crossroads. These
projects will bring economic benefit to current and future residents. Local activists like me
will make sure that affordable housing is preserved.

Phil: Speaking from the BRAC perspective... It is a faulty assumption that BRAC can justify a
particular Purple Line alignment.

I am not discounting other reasons for or against any alignment, but BRAC by itself will not
generate enough ridership to determine the best alignment. The alignment should be selected
based on region-wide ridership, cost, environmental and other criteria.

In fact, the Jones Bridge Road BRT alignment would make congestion worse rather than
relieve it. Expansion at Navy Med will result in roughly 4,000 additional visits to the
campus each day. There will still be plenty of traffic along Jones Bridge Road despite our
best efforts to discourage single occupancy vehicles. Much of Jones Bridge Road is too
narrow for additional dedicated BRT lanes. The road east of Connecticut Avenue is simply
too narrow now, and the ability to add BRT lanes west of Connecticut Avenue is restricted
by the proximity of the Hawkins Lane historic district and security-conscious Navy facilities.
Removing one or two lanes to accommodate dedicated BRT lanes will worsen congestion
along the entire length of Jones Bridge Road.

In addition, Woodmont Avenue cannot bear the loss of two lanes for dedicated BRT, even if
on-street parking is removed. Woodmont Avenue terminates very close to Navy Med;
therefore, BRT on that road would make traffic worse around the campus.

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Again, there are many reasons to justify or oppose a particular alignment, but BRAC alone is
not one of them.

Michael: Per my neighborhood:

"Land Reclamation" for the areas that experience the environmental damage that the Purple
Line construction will cause if it is on the Georgetown Branch alignment - i.e., at the
Connecticut Avenue & Georgetown Branch Train section (behind the cleaners) - to create a
"neighborhood park" for the Chevy Chase Hills neighborhood that will be effected by the
tree/animal displacement, construction, traffic and noise. This was not listed anywhere in the
summary.

There are NO parking garages planned along the Purple line as it leave the SS Metro station
and comes our way. I don't know about farther east. I have no idea how they expect anyone
to take it if there is no place to leave their car. Yes, buses, but it makes it less likely for
people to get on.

Regarding the Sierra Club, they officially support a Purple Line Loop, not just the proposed
Bethesda - New Carrolton Purple Line (link below). This is an important distinction, as the
proposed Purple Line is not scalable to reach Northern Virginia. In fact, my understanding is
that the proposed Purple Line would be in lieu of any further connections.

In addition to the obvious disruption caused to the affected communities, the environment,
and the trail, there are at least three significant problems with the proposed Purple Line light
rail.
a. Rapid transit solutions should be scalable - the proposed Purple Line is not.
b. Rapid transit solutions should reduce automotive traffic - the proposed Purple Line
does not.
c. Rapid transit should reduce travel times, and supplement, not replace, existing bus
service - the Purple Line does neither of these.

I think we are all in favor of responsible mass transit. However, the Purple Line as proposed
is environmentally and fiscally irresponsible, and fails to meet any of the standard criteria
required for such a project.

The following are comments received from audience members at the meeting.

Jon: What is striking is that if one listens to the MPAG members, one does not hear any
solutions to the problems that face our communities – only problems. A second observation:
Are MPAG members' concerns based on opinions or based on facts? For example, MTA's
traffic projections, which are admittedly only professional, educated guesses, show that
traffic along Wayne Avenue would be better in the future, not worse. If cost were no object
tunneling would be the right answer for many of us in Silver Spring. But in reality cost is
always important, so we have to think about what options are realistically on the table.
Finally, we need to make sure that we are making valid comparisons of what our future
would be like with, and without, the Purple Line. If we do not have the Purple Line, we face
a congested and polluted future. Is that what we really want?

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MPAG Summary ~ Auditorium (8787 Georgia Ave) October 14, 2008

Webb: Safety is very important. Light rail is the safest transportation option according to the
Bureau of Transportation Statistics data comparing different transit modes per the FTA
website. It is far safer to ride a light rail train than to ride in an automobile.

Trail safety will improve when the Purple Line is built; currently the trail is unsafe between
Bethesda and Silver Spring because of the at-grade crossings at Connecticut Avenue, Jones
Bridge Rd, 16th Street, Spring Street and Colesville Rd. The DEIS includes grade
separations for the trail at all of these locations, and an exclusive trail right of way between
the end of the Georgetown Branch and the Silver Spring Metrorail station.

In addition to transit connectivity, the Purple Line brings trail connectivity with the Capital
Crescent Trail joining the Metropolitan Branch trail and both being connected via the Green
Trail to the Sligo Creek Trail.

Service to transit dependent low income residents is an important consideration under FTA's
"new start" guidelines.

There are successful and safe LRT lines that travel through neighborhoods in the country and
property value are rising faster for transit accessible areas than non-accessible ones in the DC
metropolitan region and elsewhere.

Tina: The Purple Line will provide an east-west transit connection serving thousands of riders
along its 16-mile route. Instead of a "hyper-focus" on small segments of the corridor which
may inconvenience some residents, focus should be on the thousands of commuters who will
benefit from faster connections to the Metro stations, Marc rail lines, and better
transportation than todays slower and segmented bus routes. Of course tunneling is needed
where grades are too steep for light rail, however any optional tunneling should be
discouraged as too expensive and as not serving ridership, as there will be no underground
stations. Given that the purpose of mass transit is to move the most people, the Purple Line
must have stops in the CBD areas (both Bethesda and Silver Spring) and the route should go
down the railway right-of-way in the Master plan --- not only is it the shortest route, but the
paving of the trail will allow more pedestrians and bicyclists to commute safely between
Bethesda and Silver Spring. Furthermore, a Wayne Avenue above-ground alignment will
serve residents along the route and provide an avenue to the Silver Spring CBD and the new
library.

6. Upcoming Meetings
As a reminder, the tentative upcoming meeting is October 28, 2008. The next meeting after
the month of October is tentatively scheduled for December 9, 2008.

Note: There will be no MPAG meetings in November because:

The MTA public hearings are in November

The elections are in November
Thanksgiving week in is November
We need to be close to finishing our staff memo in November

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